Lakes To Revisit Plan To Block Storefront Houses Of Worship

October 12, 2004|By Toni Marshall Staff Writer

Lauderdale Lakes — City officials tonight will revisit a proposed law to ban new storefront churches.

The City Commission initially considered a ban in April but delayed taking action because of a court ruling that blocked Surfside in Miami-Dade from keeping a religious group out of a bank building. Lauderdale Lakes officials also said they needed better legal definitions of religious institutions and their meeting halls.

"We had to do the research to make sure we weren't taking anybody's rights away," Commissioner Levoyd Williams said.

Commissioners will meet at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 4300 NW 36th St. in Lauderdale Lakes.

Much like what was proposed in April, the law that the commission will reconsider would require houses of worship to be in freestanding buildings, to be built on at least 3 acres of land and to have access to major streets. The religious structures would have to be at least 50 feet from residential zones.

If commissioners approve the ban tonight, a second vote would be required at a second public meeting.

Area church officials were outraged in April that the central Broward city would support a ban that interferes with freedom of religious assembly. They argued it would keep fledgling churches from getting a start.

But city officials say the increase of churches in storefronts hurts economic growth in the area. Churches in commercial zones aren't subject to taxes. Officials also said they dominate parking lots, discourage customers from shopping at nearby stores and, when in residential areas, jam neighborhood streets and parking.

"We don't want to stop churches from coming to our city," Williams said. But on the other hand,he added, "we think we've got to protect the commercial base. Everything has a limit."

Also on the agenda tonight, commissioners will address whether to give City Manager Anita Fain Taylor a pay raise. Taylor's current salary is $99,000. She has been on staff for two years.

Toni Marshall can be reached at tmarshall@sun-sentinel.com or 954-572-2004.